possessed
UK[pəˈzest]US[pəˈzest]
adj
Controlled by or as if by an evil spirit
adj
Having a strong desire to do or have something; obsessed
Morpheme Breakdown
pos
sess
ed
pos
to place, to have
sess
to sit
ed
adjective suffix
Etymology
The word 'possessed' originates from the Latin verb 'possidēre', meaning 'to have and hold, to occupy, to seize'. This verb itself is a compound of 'potis' (able, capable) and 'sedēre' (to sit), conveying the powerful idea of 'being master of' or 'sitting as an owner upon' something. Through Old French 'possesser', it entered Middle English as a verb describing ownership and control. The modern adjectival sense, particularly the supernatural connotation of being controlled by an external force, evolved from the core idea of being 'seized' or 'occupied' by a spirit, mirroring the original Latin logic of a powerful, settled mastery, but now with the master being an external entity.
Analysis
Structure: pos (to place, to have) + sess (to sit) + ed (adjective suffix)
- pos: A variant of the Latin root 'ponere' (to place, to put), appearing here as an assimilated form.
- sess: From Latin 'sedere' (to sit), a frequentative form indicating continuous or settled action.
- ed: A suffix of Old English origin, used to form adjectives from past participles of verbs, indicating a state or condition.
Examples
In the film, the young girl became possessed and began speaking in a strange voice.
He was possessed by an overwhelming ambition to succeed at any cost.
She moved with a possessed intensity, completely focused on her task.